For new college instructors, the first day on the job can be exciting and a little intimidating. There are a lot of things to learn, and unfortunately it's impossible to get them all down before you start teaching. Sometimes you just have to learn as you go.

The good news is that you don't have to walk into the situation completely blind either. Many professors have gone before you, and they have been able to share their teaching insights. Here are a few suggestions for your first day teaching:

Keep your keys and flash drive on woven or ribbon lanyards. On lots of college campuses, instructors need keys for classrooms, their office, and sometimes to use classroom technology. If you keep them around your neck, you won't forget them.

Have your syllabus ready, and double-check it for errors. Students like to point out mistakes. Make sure you have used correct spelling and verified that the dates on your syllabus are accurate. Your department head will probably give you a list of things that are required for your syllabus. These are some of the most common:

• A calendar of reading assignments and project due dates
• Your late work policy
• Policies regarding attendance and absenteeism
• The school policy for plagiarism and cheating
• Your grading scale and the value of each required assignment
• The dates of exams and the final
• Your policy regarding makeup work and tests

Don't try to do too much. In many classes - survey courses especially - it is difficult to cover all there is to know about a topic or discipline. Try to instill in your students the essential and fundamental information on the topic and let them dig for more information when it's needed. You can provide additional resources and information for the class to examine outside of class time.

Break up your lectures. Twenty-minute segments are a good choice. This allows your students some time to consider what has been presented. The mind can only retain so much at any given time, so incorporate other teaching methods to break up the monotony. Active learning is a popular teaching method.

In addition to these tips, it's important for instructors to bear in mind that they will be working with adults. Establishing authority in these situations can be more difficult than with younger students, as adult students may be less willing to accept your expertise on a subject.

Bearing these things in mind will help you as navigate your way through your first semester of teaching at the college level. Hopefully, your college or university will pair you with a senior faculty member to help show you the ropes. If they have not, however, it is a good idea to ask your department head to pair you with a faculty mentor. A mentor can be one of your most valuable resources when it comes to avoiding the pitfalls of teaching. Always take problems to a mentor or department head for clarification.

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